100 Scone homes get the go-ahead
Protests held as council’s handling of issue slammed
The massively-controversial Scone North housing development has been given the go-ahead in extraordinary circumstances.
Before the in principle decision was reached on Wednesday, two councillors excused themselves amid their concerns about being equipped to rule on any of the plans that day, just a week on from taking up their posts.
The abbreviated development management committee was then advised that if it delayed the 100-houses bid on farmland by Angus Road it could be placed into the hands of the Scottish Government - a decision confirmed by developer John Stephen who said he would appeal “within a week” if there was a hold-up to the application.
Then councillors - with six newlyelected members - approved by majority Cllr Willie Wilson’s move to support the scheme in principle. It was a decision, he said, taken “with a heavy heart”.
It brings to an end a chapter of areas already exceeded agreed levels for air quality.
Mr McKerracher appealed for the application to be thrown out after claiming it left out a number of concerns including over flooding.
He also went on to claim that council officers had been “devious” - a move which was refuted by convener Cllr Murray Lyle.
Cllr Simpson requested that the building firm withdraw the application until after the Cross Tay Link Road was in place.
And environment and infrastructure convener Cllr Stewart suggested that his committee had a say on the development.
“This is the wrong development in the wrong place in the wrong time,” he said.
Mr Stephen, the A&J Stephen managing director, told members his firm was running short of agreed planning sites in Perthshire.
He pointed out that the principle of development in Scone had been set down in both the local development plan and the strategic Tayplan documents.
The proposal for 100 homes at the outset before the Cross Tay Link Road was in place - central to some of the concerns - emerged after the Scottish Government planning
Protesters outside the council headquarters on Wednesday reporter decided on the local development plan in 2013 .Mr Stephen said based on current trends the homes would start being occupied from 2018 onwards, with the final one taken up after 2021.
During a long discussion, and after a break, councillors discussed various options, including deferring the scheme for a site visit, or approval.
Cllr Eric Drysdale said the application was an “emotive and very complicated matter”. He moved for a site visit and was seconded by Cllr Barnacle.
Cllr Wilson moved for approval, saying: “The risk to allow the Reporter to decide on this is inconsiderable.
“We have faced this before. It is not a happy situation, including with the LDP.”
But he said: “I don’t quite appreciate the developer coming along to this meeting and saying if we don’t make a decision they will go straight to appeal. I don’t find that very helpful at all.”
He said that approving the scheme would allow the authority to retain control over the application which has more than 30 conditions in place. A further application to set out how the development meets the conditions is expected in the future.